


"Daisy, Where's Phil?"

by nightsisterkaris



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alzheimer's Disease, Angst and Feels, F/M, Future Character Death, Future Fic, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-10
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-11-14 21:13:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18060227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightsisterkaris/pseuds/nightsisterkaris
Summary: "Daisy?" Melinda quipes up. "Where's Phil? He usually comes home 'bout now." She's calm."Coulson isn't here." It breaks Daisy heart to say that. But It was true. May asks about him every day. Her alzheimer's keeps her from remembering that Coulson died thirty-five years ago in Tahiti."Yes, he is." Melinda insists. "We always come back to each other." She smiles, the wrinkles on her face more prominent.





	"Daisy, Where's Phil?"

 

    Smiling sadly, Daisy knocks on the door in front of her. A subtle  _'come in'_  responds, and Daisy walks in. The elderly woman before her stares forward, sitting up. That was good. May needed her good days. At least she wasn't trying to fight Daisy today.

   The room is decorated with memorabilia, an empty bottle of Haig, several pictures, and a pack of blood-stained captain america trading cards sits on the window sill. The sun is setting, slowly sinking behind the horizon. A model of Lola sists on the nightstand, and three ancient dried roses crumble on the shelf.

    "Hey, Mom." Daisy smiles again, heading over. Melinda is staring out the window.

    The ninety-year-old woman turns slightly to her voice. "Daisy." She whispers.

    "Yeah." The fifty-year-old inhuman nods. "How are you today?"

    "Something important." Is Melinda's cryptic answer.

    That's when Daisy realizes that Melinda is gripping her fist tightly. Daisy touches her arm. "What is it, Mom?"

    "Something important." She repeats. 

    "Can I see it?" Daisy asks, moving her hands to Melinda's cold fingers.

    "No." Melinda frowns. "Only Daisy."

    "I am Daisy." She promises, and May's features soften and her fingers uncurl. Resting in the palm of the ex-SHIELD agent's hand is Captain America pin.

     _"Oh May."_  Daisy tears up.  _That was Coulson's tie pin._

    "Daisy?" Melinda quipes up. "Where's Phil? He usually comes home 'bout now." She's calm.

    "Coulson isn't here." It breaks Daisy heart to say that. But It was true. May asks about him every day. Her alzheimer's keeps her from remembering that Coulson died thirty-five years ago in Tahiti. 

    " _Yes,_  he is." Melinda insists. "We always come back to each other." She smiles, the wrinkles on her face more prominent from years of frowning.

    "He'll be home soon." Daisy hates the lie she tells every day. "Come on, May." She says. "Its time to get you to bed."

   "I'll wait for Phil." She still looks out the window at the dark night. 

    "I'm sure it would be okay to wait in bed, don't you think? That way your back doesn't hurt tomorrow."

   May nods, and Daisy helps hoist her up, the blanket on her lap falling to the floor. The short asian woman is moved to the bathroom so that Daisy can help her change into sleep clothes, and the inhuman sees the tattoo on Melinda's chest.

    The black lines illustrate four heart beats, each one smaller than the one before it. The following strait line shows Phil's dying heartbeats until they cease. The fading tattoo is on Melinda's left breast, right above her own heart.

   "I'm tired, Daisy." Melinda says as the inhuman brushes her white hair, and helps her out to the large bed. 

   "I know. It was a long day." Daisy nods, pulling back the sheets. The old blanket on top is one from Coulson's bunk all those years ago.

   "Not what I meant." Melinda sighs, and Daisy places the pillow behind her.

   Daisy takes the dishes from Melinda's table, setting them by the door. The specialist hadn't eaten much.

   "Phil?" Melinda calls.

   "It's only me, Daisy." She turns, and comes back. Melinda is staring into space.

   "I'll be home soon." May whispers.

   "You are home." The inhuman whispers, taking the dishes out to her kitchen. A doorbell chimes. Daisy heads to the door, and lets in Jemma and her teenager children.

   "Aunt Daisy!" One smiles, giving their mother's best friend a hug.

   "How is May?" Jemma asks.

    "Today was a better day. She kept asking about Coulson. May said she was tired." Daisy answers. "She didn't eat much." Jemma nods.

    A whimper emanates from Melinda's room.

   Daisy runs over, and checks in. The lamp is on, hopefully helping May's PTSD. The woman is asleep, and Daisy knows Jemma is behind her.

    "She's fighting HYDRA in her dreams." Daisy tells the biochemist.

   "Are they ever good?"

    "Sometimes May tells me she was in Tahiti, or on the bus. They dance. Occasionally she's back at Bahrain." Daisy pauses before adding, "And every now and then, she's blissed out after parasailing." 

   Mrs. Fitzsimmons smirks, then drops the smile when the slumbering May turns.

   Daisy rushes over, and places a hand on May. "Mom." She whispers. "It's alright."

   "Phil." Melinda whispers, her eyes still closed as she smiles. "I missed you."

   "It's only me, Daisy."

   "I'm so glad you're safe. Someone had to save you." Melinda says into her fleeting memory.

   "Mom, Is grandma May alright?" One of Jemma's kids asks.

   "No." Jemma whispers.

    Melinda sighs, and calms. "Thank you, Phil." she says.

    Daisy notices that May's hand is clenched again. Undoing her strong grip, Daisy discovers an old bullet.

   Confused, Daisy takes it from Melinda. "That was Phil's." May opens her eyes. "Cairo, 1983. I got shot. He treated me, kept the bullet to remind himself how scared he was to lose me." May's eyes are clearer than usual. She smiles.

   "Thats so sweet." Daisy starts to cry. Melinda sighs softly and looks relaxed.

  "But he'll find me tonight. I know it." May whispers, her eyes closing as sleep overtakes her. 

-:x:-

  "Phil." Melinda smiles, rushing forward into the bright light and his silhouette.

  "Melinda." He opens his arms. They meet in the middle, leaving behind the liquid dark. 

   "I've waited so long for you." Phil says, burrowing his nose in her hair. 

   "Daisy was finally ready to let go." Melinda smiles as she reaches up to kiss him. "I missed you, Phil." She takes his hand, pressing something to him.

   "I never want to lose you again." Melinda tells him as he takes the brass bullet. He looks at it, and throws it into the dark. "I won't." He says, cupping her chin to look at her. 

   He's younger, more hair on his head and less wrinkles. She feels her own skin change, tightening against her cheek bones, her vision get sharper. They're back to the age when they fell in love.

   "Come on, Melinda." Phil wraps his arms around her. His strong arms which she hadn't felt for thirty-five long years. He pulls her to the light, and they walk into the blinding white sunlight together.

 

 


End file.
